Needling machine



Oct. 24, 1939.

E. W. STONE NEEDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR F A; gm ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1939. E. w. STONE NEEDLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1937 &

ATTC R N E Oct. 24, 1939. E.-'w. STONE NEEDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. W. STONE NEEDLING MACHINE Oct. 24, 1939.

Filed Aug. 12, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gONVENTiI; 7- in; ii/l'z a ATTORNEY Oct. 24; 1939.

E. W. STQNE NEEDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 VEN y w mvg (and m A TTORNEY Patented Get. 24, 1939 PATENT oFFic NEEDLING MACHINE Edwin W. Stone, Lcngmeadow, Mass, assignor to Bigelow-Sanford Carpet 00., Inc., Thompsonville, Conn, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 12, 1937, Serial No. 158,629

16 Claims.

This invention relates to needling machines for manufacturing needled fabrics and specifically to a construction of the needle bars, and actuating mechanism therefor, effective for improved needling at high speeds, particularly in the manufacture of broad width artificial pile fabric floor covering, such needle bar construction and mechanism having the capacity for a variety of different needle motions, adapting the machine for the manufacture of a wide range of fabrics from course to fine, whether the finished product be a floor covering or other type of needled fabric.

To permit approximate continuity of movement of the fabric being needled, it has not been uncommon heretofore to impart a compound movement to the needles composed of a punching movement toward and away from the fabric and a movement with the fabric as it continuously advances. The complexity of the mechanisms heretofore suggested to effect these movements has been not only a serious general disadvantage attending their use but has inhibited their use in the manufacture of broad width fabrics and has not allowed needle motion adjustment commensurate with the size and cost of the machines;

The present invention seeks, in part, to provide for simplicity in construction and, to that end, I so mount the needle bars and drive them directly from a crank shaft as to provide the desired compound movement without other mechanism. As will appear, the components of the movement may be controlled according to the type of materials. being operated upon or the type of finish desired by appropriate manipulation of the needle bar mountings, to secure the best needling for the particular job at hand, regardless of the type of work just completed.

These and further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in a more, detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l isa side elevation view of the machine;

Fig. 1A is a detail elevation view showing the adjustable needle bar guides;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine;

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of certain parts of Fig. 3, shown on an enlarged scale and with the needle bars in a different position in the cycle;

' Fig. 5 is an elevation View, partly in section, of one of the needle bars and the mountings;

Fig. 6 is a disassembled perspective view of the I needle bar slide and guide therefor;

Fig. '7 is a disassembled perspective view showing, at the bottom, a preferred type of supporting grid and above, a preferred type of stripper bar.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the base fabric 1, such as burlap in the case of floor coverings, on which has been deposited a layer 3 of jute or the like, is introduced to the machine by being impaled on moving pin-tentering chains 5 and 6 driven in the direction indicated by arrows. During the slow advance of the fabric through the needling station A (Fig. 1), it is acted on by a plurality of vertically reciprocating needles for punching the jute into the backing fabric. That general system of manufacturing artificial pile fabrics is well known and my invention pertains to a novel construction of the mechanism at A.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the needling station A. As therein indicated, the fibre covered fabric I which is being advanced through the machine by the tentering frame, may also, if desired, be additionally fed as it enters the needling station by the spike roll 7, power driven continuously at a peripheral speed approximating the speed of the tenter chains. A Weighted roll 9 presses the fabric against the spike roll. As the fabric advances, it is suitably supported, as indicated, during the punching operation, and as it emerges it may again be advanced by a spike roll i3 having weighted roller I5. Although not an essential element of my invention, I have found that with some types of fabric, a tensioning of the fabric in addition to that afforded by the tenters is desirable and for that purpose, if desired, the second roll l3 may be driven slightly faster, peripherally, than roll 9 and should, in that event, be so surfaced as to permit a slight slippage.

As illustrated, in the preferred embodiment of my invention three vertically reciprocating needle-carrying bars are provided which I have designated at H, [9 and El. The bar ll, carrying the needles which initially impale the fabric as it enters the machine, preferably, although not necessarily, carries two parallel rows of needles 23 (see Figs. 4 and 5). The needles are secured into the bottom of the needle bar in any desired way, the same forming no part of my invention.

The second and third needle bars l9 and 2|, respectively, may carry the same number of needles as the bar I! or any number of needles adjustment relative thereto.

and/or rows desired, various needle arrangements being well known in the art.

As stated above, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide novel and simple mechanism for effecting the operation 'of the needle bars. To that end, each of the needle bars is preferably mounted for vertical sliding movement in guides which are pivoted to a accommodate a swinging movement with the fabric.

The mountings for all of the bars are identical and, as indicated for the bar IT in Figs. 5 and 6, each end of each bar has a slide bearing-surfaced tongue 3|, slidably received in a guide 32, carrying a stud shaft 33 rotatably mounted in a bearing 34 carried by the lower end of a plate 35.

The plate 35 is received in an opening 350: (see also Fig. 1A) in the frame of the'machine, and is bolted to a second plate 39 by bolts passing through bolt holes 38 and horizontally elongated slots 49 in the plate 36. The slots 49 permit an individual horizontal adjustment of each plate 35, and bearing 34, relative to the frame of the machine and/or relative to the plate and bearing associated with another needle bar, thus allowing a variation in the position of the axis of the shaft 33 and the line of penetration of the needles of an individual bar into the fabric,

to permit modification of a given needle pattern or to correct inaccuracies in the needle pattern due to possible inequalities in the speed of the needling relative to the feed of the fabric. The plate 36 is mounted on the frame for a vertical For this purpose, the plate is provided with vertically elongated slots, through which bolts 42 pass into screw threaded bolt holes in the frame. For accuracy of this vertical adjustment of the plate 36, I provide an adjusting screw 44, passing through a screw threaded lug 46 protruding from the frame,

the screw 44 abutting the under surface of plate 36, as indicated in Fig. 1A.

By this doubly adjustable mounting, the distance of each individual pivot 33 from an adjacent needle bar and its distance above or below the plane of the fabric, may be accurately adjusted.

A similar mounting is provided for the opposite end of each needle bar and it will be observed that, by this construction, each bar may slide toward and away from the fabric in the guide 32 and that during this sliding movement the bar may also oscillate about the stud shafts 33 as a pivot.

Such compound movement of the needle bars is effected by one or more connecting rods 4I, rigidly secured to each bar and journaled to cranks 43 carried by an overhead crank shaft. In Fig. 3, I have indicated at 45, 41 and 49 the crank shafts for the bars II, I9 and 2I respectively.

The crank shafts 45, 4'! and 49 are journaled at each side of the machine in adjustable cross heads 9i, which are respectively mounted for vertical sliding movement on the frame 92 of the machine. For this purpose, each cross head is provided with slides 93, fitted to guideways 94, formed on the frame 92. To adjust the cross heads 9i, suitable mechanism is provided, including a screw threaded shaft 95, shown in Fig. 3, mounted in a bearing in the lower part of the frame 92 and threaded into the lower portion 9| a of the cross head 9i. The shaft 95 is provided with a pinion 99, geared to a worm 91 mounted on a shaft 98, journaled in the frame 92 of the machine, and passing across the machine. A similar worm, gear, and vertical shaft are provided at the other end of the machine for the simultaneous adjustment of the cross heads at both ends of the machine by manual rotation of the shaft 98.

In order to lock each cross head 2|, clamping set screws 99 may be screw threaded in the frame 92 to operate to lock the cross head 9| in any desired position after adjustment by rotation of the shaft 98. v

The adjustability of the cross heads just described permits variation of the distance between the crank shaft axes and the plane of the fabric, thus allowing adjustability of the depth of penetration of the needles into the fabric, according to the individual needs of the user.

Any suitable means may be provided for driving the crank shafts which reciprocate the needle bars. I have shown diagrammatically a motor 5I and driving chain 53 which rotates a sprocket fixed to shaft 56 to which a sprocket carrying chain 51 is also secured. Chain 5? drives shaft 59 mounted in cross heads 9!, in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. Gear BI, secured to shaft 59, meshes with gear 63 fixed to shaft 49 and also with gear 65 fixed to shaft 47 to drive both shafts clockwise as indicated, Gear 65 meshes with idler 91 in mesh with gear 69 which drives shaft 45, also in a clockwise direction'. Suitable adjustment of the shafts must, of course, be made to obtain the 120 relationship of needle bar movements hereinafter described.

-As stated above, the spike rolls I and I3 employed on the entering and emerging sides, respectively-of the punching station A when additional fabric tension is desired, are power driven. For that purpose, I preferably drive the spike roll I3 slightly faster than roll 'I.

These drives are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1.. Chain II driven from shaft 55, power driven-as-above described, rotates shaft I3 by a sprocket secured thereto. Shaft I3 carries sprocket I5 driving chain 'I'I trained about sprocket ill on the shaft 83 carrying roll I and around sprocket 85 on shaft 81 carrying roll I3. The proper difference in the peripheral speeds of rolls I and I3 can be obtained, as will be apparent,-by suitably proportioning the sprockets 8| and 85. 1

As the fabric is being punched, it must be supported and the form of support illustrated at I99 in Fig. 7 has been found preferable for the purpose. The support is constructed in the form of a grid having angle irons IOI and I93 disposed on opposite sides of the needles of a single bar (Fig. 3) and having upper fabric supporting flanges as illustrated. 'Midway between the irons [9i and I 93 extends a web I99 connected at intervals to the irons NH and I93 by staggered crosspieces I95 forming openings I91.

It will be apparent that by this construction there is provided a grid having a large number of openings which are limited in size to circumscribe completely a small group of needles and thereby to obviate any tendency of the fabric to become depressed unduly upon receiving the punching stroke.

For stripping the needles upon retraction, I provide for the second and third needle bar a pair of angle irons I I I and II3 having horizontal flanges which project into close proximity with the needles. The flufiiness of the jute when initially punched by the bar I! has led to difliculties instripping which can be obviated by the stripper ill of Figs. 4 and 7. 'As therein indicated, this stripper comprises essentially a plate ha'vingbevelled perforations H9, each adapted to receive preferably a single needle with only sufficient clearance to accommodate the compound movement of the needles hereinafter described. With the two single rows of needles shown on the first needle bar such stripper may beconstructed for highlysatisfactory stripping action, although other needle arrangements may be used with a similar stripper having modified perforations accommodating the changed needles. Both the angle irons l l l and l I3 and the stripper H1 may be mounted for individual vertical and horizontal adjustment relative to their respective grids, the latter adjustment, especially of the stripper l ll,'being provided to allow longitudinal variation if necessary after horizontal adjustment of the shafts 33, previously described. 7

Referring now to Figs. 3 and d, it will be observed that as a result of the rigid connection between the connecting rods M and the needle bars',rotation of the cranks 33 will tend not only to raise and lower the bars but also to oscillate tion from the reciprocation of the bars at high speeds, I may secure a desirable balance by pro- :Viding three bars,'as indicated, reciprocating 120 ahead of bar is on the downward portion of its 7 stroke.

It'will be observed that when fully retracted, as at I! in Fig. 3, the needles are normal to the plane of the fabric. As each bar commences its travel toward the fabric, it swings slightly about its pivot 33 in a direction againstthe movement ofthe fabric. In Fig. 4 the bar It is so illustrated, as it commences its downward movement. The still greater inclination as the needles enter the fabric is indicated by the bar 2! in Fig. 3. At the lower limit of th-e'downward movement of the bars, they again assume a normal position as indicated by the bar 2'! inFig. l.

During the initial part of the upstroke of the bars, the inclination is in the direction of the advance ofthe fabric as indicated by bar 59 in Fig. 3 which inclination increases until the needle leaves the fabric. 7 (see bar l9 in Fig. 4) until the bar reaches the upper limit of its stroke when its needles are again normal to the fabric as indicated by the bar l'linFigB.

Depending upon the particular position of the pivots 33 as will now be more fully described, my novel mechanism, though simple in construction, may be made effective to impart to the needles not only the desired punching movement normal to the plane of theclothbut also, with such move- The inclination thereafter decreases ment, an oscillating'movement lengthwise of the advancing fabric.

The adjustment of the shafts 33, previously described, whereby the pivot points may be raised or lowered relatively to the plane of the fabric, determines the amount and character of this movement of the individual needle bar relative to the fabric. Disregarding, for the minute, the adjustment of the crank shaft axis, which primarily merely determines the extent of thrust of the needles into the fabric, it will be seen that if the pivots 33 are fixedly adjusted substantially in the plane of the fabric, the portion of the needle in the fabric will not substantially move, and therefore will tend to prevent the continuous advance of the fabric. In other words, there will be substantially no horizontal motion between given intervals of the portions of the needles of one needle bar within the fabric.

By raising the pivot points of the guides above the plane of the fabric, it will be seen that the portions of the'needles of one needle bar in the plane of the fabric may be made to move in the direction of advance of the fabric faster than the fabric is being fed. The machine may therefore, if desired, be operated with the needles themselves aiding the fabric advance. Likewise the portions of the needles in the fabric may be made to move in the direction of advance of the fabric at substantially or even precisely the same speed as the fabric; or, by proper adjustment, the motion of the portions of the needles of one needle bar in the fabric between given intervals may be in the direction of advance of the fabric, but at a speed slower than the speed of the fabric, so that there is a tendency of the needles to positively drag on or lag behind the fabric.

In fact, the machine may be so adjusted that the motion between given intervals of the portions of the needles in the fabric is in a direction opposite to the direction of advance of the fabric.

With such universal adjustment of the needle motion'the machine is adapted to suit individual needs both in connection with the type of fabric being operated upon or the type of finish desired, and in connection with the stripping of the needles during retraction thereof from any given type of fabric.

While variation of the distance between the crank shaft axis and the plane of the fabric slightly influences the horizontal component of the needle motion relative to the fabric, this adjustment primarily governs the vertical component of the needle motion. Any change in the horizontal component brought about by adjustment of the crank axis, can be compensated for through adjustment of the pivot points which primarily govern the horizontal component of the needle motion.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric in a horizontal plane, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars eachextending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, each having a plurality of needles protruding therefrom, means for reciprocating each bar toward and away from the fabric and means for rocking each bar about a fixed horizontal pivot adjacent the plane of the fabric to move the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric during a portion of the reciprocation of each bar when its needles are in the fabric.

, 2.In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled through the machine, a supportfor the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars, each extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, each having a plurality of needles protruding therefrom, means for reciprocating each bar toward and away from the fabric, means for rocking the bar about a fixed pivot adjacent the plane of the fabric to move the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric, and means for regulating the latter movement of the needles by changing the position of,

said pivot.

3. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabricin a horizontal plane, through the machine, a support to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled, through the machine a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars each extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, each having a plurality of rows of needles protruding therefrom, guides slidably receiving the bars, fixed pivots for the guides disposed adjacent the plane of the fabric, and'means for simultaneously reciprocating the bars toward and away from the fabric and rocking the bars about said pivots to move the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric.

5. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuouslyadvancing fabric to be needled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, each having a plurality of rows of needles protruding therefrom, a rotatable crank foreach bar, a connecting rod journaled to each crank and rigidly connected to its respective bar to move the bar toward and away fro-m the fabric and simultaneously to rock the bar for movement of the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric While in the fabric, and bar guiding means slidably accommodating such movement. a

6. In apparatus for needling fibrous material toa backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, each having a plurality of rows of needles protruding therefrom, guidesslidably receiving the bars, a rotatable crank for each bar, a connecting rod journaled to each crank and rigidly connected to its respective bar to move the bar toward and away from the fabric and simultaneously to rock the bar for movement of the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric while in the fabric, and means, secured to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to beneedled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a p-luralitytof needle bars, each extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars, fixed pivots for the guides associated with the support adjacent the plane of the fabric, means for reciprocating the bars towards and away from the fabric and simultaneously rocking the bars about said pivots to move the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric while in the fabric, and means to vary the position of said pivots relative to the plane of the fabric to vary the rate of advancing movement of the needles relative tothe rate of advance of the fabric.

8. In apparatus'for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing the fabric to be needled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars extending transversely of the fabric, pivoted guides slidably receiving the bars, a rotatable crank for each bar, a connecting rod journaled to each crank and rigidly connected to its respective bar, to move the bar toward and away from the fabric and simultaneously to rock the bar in its guides, and means for adjustably varying the distance between the crank axis and the plane of the fabric being fed.

9. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars,

fixed pivots for the guides associated with the support, a rotatable crank for each bar, a connecting rod journaled to each crank and rigidly connected to its respective bar to move the bar toward and away from the fabric and simultane- ,1

ously to rock the bar in its pivoted guides, and means for individually varying the distance between the axis of each crank and the pivots of its respective guides.

10. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means-for continuously advancing fabric to be needled, through the machine, a supportfor the fabric so advanced, a pluralityof needle bars extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars, fixed pivots for the guides associated with the support, means for simultaneously reciprocating the bars toward and away from the fabric While rocking the bars about said pivots, and means for selectively varying the position of said pivots relative to the plane of the fabric being advanced, from a predetermined point above the plane of the fabric to a point in the plane of the and means for selectively varying the longitudinal position of each of said pivots relative to said support.

12. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled, through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars, each extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars, fixed pivots for the guides associated with the support adjacent the plane of the fabric, means for selectively varying the position of each of said pivots relative to the plane of the fabric being fed and means for selectively varying the distance of at least one of said pivots from another pivot.

13. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric in a horizontal plane through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, three needle bars each extending transversely of the direction of fabric while in the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars, and horizontal pivots for the guides adapted to accommodate said movement of the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric.

14. In apparatus for needling fibrous material to a backing fabric, the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing fabric to be needled through the machine, a support for the fabric so advanced, a plurality of needle bars, each extending transversely of the direction of advance of the fabric, guides slidably receiving the bars, fixed pivots for the guides, means for reciprocating the bars toward and away from the fabric and simultaneously rocking the bars about said pivots'and means for varying the amount of advance with the fabric of the portions of the needles in the fabric.

15. As means for guiding and reciprocating a needle carrying bar of a machine for needling a fabric having fabric advancing means, the combination with the needle bar of guides slidably receiving the bar, fixed pivots for the guides,

means for reciprocating the bar toward and away from the fabric and simultaneously rocking the bar about said pivots and means for varying the amount of advance with the fabric of the portions of the needles in the fabric.

16. As means for guiding and reciprocating a needle carrying bar of a machine for needling a fabric having means for advancing the fabric through the machine, the combination with the needle bar of guides slidably receiving the bar, a rotatable crank, a connecting rod journaled to the crank and rigidly connected to the bar to move the bar toward and away from the fabric and simultaneously to rock the bar for movement of the needles in the direction of advance of the fabric while in the fabric and means secured adjacent the plane of the fabric for pivotally supporting the said guides to accommodate such movement,

EDWIN W, STONE. 

